Taiheiki Modern Japanese Translation 2-7 The Shogunate's Large Army Enters the Capital, Emperor Go-Daigo Escapes the Palace
To Taiheiki Modern Japanese Translation Index 1
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This modern translation is not faithful to the original text. Various embellishments and the like have been applied.
It is unclear whether the events described in the Taiheiki are historical facts. It would likely be a dangerous act to consider what is written in the Taiheiki as historical fact without careful verification.
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In the spring of the second year of Karyaku (1327), there was a conflict within Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara. A dispute broke out between the Zenji-bo belonging to Daijoin and the monks of the Roppo (Note 1), which eventually escalated into a battle. Consequently, the Kondo, Kodo, Nan-endo, and Saikondo of Kofuku-ji were suddenly engulfed in flames and burned down.
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(Translator's Note 1) [Daijoin] was a temple belonging to [Kofuku-ji]. Currently, only its garden has been restored. [Zenji-bo] is a temple belonging to [Daijoin]. [Roppo] refers to the six groups of temples belonging to Kofuku-ji, known as [Inui-kata], [Ushitora-kata], [Tatsumi-kata], [Hitsujisaru-kata], [Ryugein-kata], and [Bodaiin-kata].
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Also, in the first year of Genko, a fire broke out from the Kitadani of the To-to (East Pagoda) area of Enryaku-ji (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture), and the Shio-in, Enmei-in, Daikodo, Hokkedo, and Jogyodo were all reduced to ashes at the same time.
People are frightened by these major incidents occurring one after another.
Street Voice A: These recent continuous disasters, could they be a sign that some major national-scale calamity is about to happen in our country?
As if to add insult to injury, a major earthquake occurred on the 3rd day of the 7th month of the same year, and the tidal flats of Senrihama (Minabe-cho, Hidaka-gun, Wakayama Prefecture) in Kii Province rose up and suddenly turned into land for over 20 cho.
Furthermore, around 6:00 PM on the 7th of the same month, another earthquake occurred, and the summit of Mount Fuji collapsed by several hundred jo.
When Urabe no Sukune burned a tortoise shell to perform divination, and the Onmyo-hakase (Doctor of Divination) examined the divination books,
"The King will change his position, and the Minister will encounter disaster," the hexagram read.
Therefore, the Onmyo-hakase secretly reported this to Emperor Go-Daigo.
Onmyo-hakase: According to the results of the divination, this is no ordinary matter. In any case, it is most important for Your Majesty to exercise caution.
Emperor Go-Daigo: ...
Street Voice B: Lately, only terrible things have been happening, haven't they?
Street Voice C: You're right. Between the fires at temples here and there, and the earthquakes happening in various places.
Street Voice D: This is no ordinary matter!
Street Voice E: Won't something terrible happen soon? Oh, how scary.
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Sure enough, on the 22nd day of the 8th month of the first year of Genko (1331),
“Two envoys from the Kamakura Shogunate have arrived in Kyoto, leading a massive army of over 3,000 horsemen!”
This news burst into Kyoto.
Though no one knew exactly what was happening, the feeling that something was about to occur in the capital caused warriors from the surrounding areas to rush into the city one after another, making every corner of the city feel unusually restless every day.
As soon as the envoys arrived in Kyoto, and before anyone had even opened the letters from the Kamakura Shogunate, it is unclear how or from where it leaked,
“The purpose of this visit by the Shogunate's envoys is to exile the Emperor to a remote province and sentence Prince Moriyoshi to death.”
This information reached Enryaku-ji Temple.
Having caught this information, Prince Moriyoshi, the Tendai Zasu (head priest) of Enryaku-ji, sent a secret messenger to Emperor Go-Daigo on the night of August 24th.
Secret Messenger: Your Majesty, I humbly convey the message from His Highness the Prince.
Emperor Go-Daigo: I see.
Secret Messenger: His Highness says the following:
“We have successfully grasped the purpose of the envoys' arrival from Kamakura. It is to exile Your Majesty to a remote province and to execute me.”
“As we are in such a critical situation, please flee to Nara tonight without delay. If the enemy forces storm the palace before our defenses are set and before the Imperial loyalist forces can gather, our side will be at a severe disadvantage in defending it.”
“To intercept the enemy entering Kyoto and to gauge the intentions of the monks at Enryaku-ji, I believe it would be wise to grant one of your close retainers permission to pose as the Emperor, send him to Enryaku-ji, and announce that the Emperor has taken refuge on Mount Hiei.”
“If that happens, the enemy army will surely head toward Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei, where they will clash with the monks. The monks will likely fight desperately, sparing no effort to defend their precious temple.”
“By doing so, we can keep them fighting for several days. Then, once the Shogunate army is exhausted from the battle, we can mobilize the Imperial loyalist forces from Iga, Ise, Yamato, and Kawachi to counterattack Kyoto. If we do that, we will be able to repel the Kanto army in no time.”
“The safety of the nation depends entirely on this one move!”
Emperor Go-Daigo: ... (He was simply stunned and unable to make any decisions or give any instructions.)
The Emperor called several close retainers who were on duty that day, including Kazan-in Morokata, Madenokoji Fujifusa, and Madenokoji Suefusa, and asked them.
Emperor Go-Daigo: This is the situation. What on earth should we do?
Madenokoji Fujifusa: This has become a serious matter... Hmm...
Everyone: Hmm...
Madenokoji Fujifusa: Well... as I thought, 'When a rebellious subject attempts to harm the sovereign, the sovereign should temporarily avoid the danger, thereby preserving the state' is the historically correct strategy.
Emperor Go-Daigo: ...
Madenokoji Fujifusa: Prince Chong'er of the ancient Chinese state of Jin fled to the state of Di, and Duke Gu of the Zhou state moved to the land of Bin. After overcoming those hardships, they both achieved royal success, and their descendants shone with immortal glory.
Emperor Go-Daigo: ...
Madenokoji Fujifusa: Anyway, we must hurry, Your Majesty! If we keep pondering here, the night will grow late. Please escape from here as soon as possible!
With that, Fujifusa arranged a carriage and loaded the Three Sacred Treasures into it. He then let the hem of a woman's garment hang out from under the carriage's bamboo blind to disguise it as if a lady of the court were riding inside, helped the Emperor into the carriage, and attempted to exit the palace through the Yomeimon Gate.
The guards in charge of the gate stood in front of the carriage.
Guard X: Who is going out, exactly?
Madenokoji Fujifusa: Shh, keep your voice down! It is the Empress herself who is in this carriage!
Guard X: What!
Madenokoji Suefusa: She is traveling incognito under the cover of night to her parents' home at Saionji. Hurry, let us pass!
Guard X: If that is the case, please, go ahead.
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Having likely coordinated with the members in advance, Minamoto no Tomoyuki, Toin Kintoshi, Chigusa Tadaaki, and others joined the party at Sanjo-gawara.
Emperor's Aide A: Now, let's have His Majesty get out of the carriage, put him in a palanquin, and head for Nara.
Emperor's Aide B: A palanquin? Where is the palanquin? Oh, is this it?
Emperor's Aide C: What a shabby palanquin this is.
Emperor's Aide A: It can't be helped, it was all so sudden.
Emperor's Aide C: There are no porters to carry the palanquin.
Emperor's close aide A: 'Damn it, it can't be helped. Since it's come to this, you guys, carry the palanquin!'
And so, Shigeyasu, the head of the Imperial Household Ministry's culinary department, Toyohara no Kaneaki, a musician from the Gagaku department, and Hada no Hisatake from the Imperial Guard, ended up carrying the palanquin.
The court nobles all took off their formal attire and changed into casual wear, such as folded eboshi caps and hitatare robes. Low-ranking samurai serving the court nobles walked in front of and behind the palanquin, making it look as if they were taking women on a pilgrimage to the seven great temples of Nara.
Dawn broke just as they passed Senkyoji Temple in Kizu (Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture). There, they had the Emperor take his breakfast.
They continued further and entered Tounan-in at Todaiji Temple in Nara.
The high priest in charge of the temple was loyal to the Imperial Court, so he kept the Emperor's arrival in Nara a secret while trying to gauge the intentions of the people at Todaiji. As for the result,
Emperor's close aide C: 'This is bad... In the West Hall of Todaiji, there is a man named High Priest Kenjitsu who is from a Kanto clan. He holds immense power within the temple, and everyone is so afraid of him that it seems there isn't a single person who will side with His Majesty.'
Emperor's close aide B: 'If that's the situation, it's dangerous for His Majesty to stay in Nara.'
And so, on the 26th, they moved to Kontaiji Temple on Mount Jubu in Wazuka (Wazuka Town, Soraku District, Kyoto Prefecture).
Emperor's close aide A: 'This place is also... it's too deep in the mountains. If we are this far from the villages, we have no options.'
Emperor's close aide B: 'Shall we decide to set up camp in a more strategic location?'
On the 27th of the same month, the party prepared for an incognito imperial visit and, taking a small number of Nara monks with them, moved to Kasagidera Temple (Kasagi Town, Soraku District, Kyoto Prefecture).
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